Lignocellulosic materials, such as paper and cardboard, can be strengthened by treating them (e.g. coating, impregnating, etc.) with solutions or dispersions of various strengthening agents. Examples of these solutions or dispersions are aqueous solutions of lignosulfonates. Lignosulfonates are metal or ammonium salts of lignosulfonic acids. The lignosulfonates are either by-products of the sulfite pulping process, or products of sulfonation of other lignin derivatives. Lignin derivatives include, but are not limited to, kraft lignin, organosolv lignin, chemically modified lignin derivatives, and mixtures thereof. However, one major problem with using these strengthening agents is that they bleed off the lignocellulosic materials when touched with wet hands. This results in poor aesthetics and increased messiness. Another major problem is that these strengthening agents exhibit low retention of strength at high humidity compared to that at normal humidity (e.g. 50% RH). Again, this problem is expected to be caused by their high affinity to water and moisture.
One common method to increase the strength of the lignocellulosic material under high humidity conditions is to add additional fiber to the material. However, this method is not cost effective as well because of the additional fiber/material costs. Another method to eliminate or reduce the bleeding of the water-soluble strengthening agents is to coat the treated lignocellulosic materials with wax or polymer films. However, this method is not an effective solution because the secondary coating materials are expensive to purchase, process, and apply, and typically not repulpable under normal conditions.
Yet another method to eliminate or reduce bleeding of the water-soluble strengthening agents is to insolubilize them by crosslinking. In the case of lignosulfonates the crosslinking reactions that have been reported in the literature include the following: condensation reaction with strong mineral acids at elevated temperatures (via the SO.sub.3.sup.2- units), oxidative coupling reaction with hydrogen peroxide and catalysts (via the OH.sup.31 groups), reaction with bis-diazonium salts (via the .alpha.-position to the OH.sup.- groups), reaction with bifunctional acid chlorides (via the OH.sup.- groups), reaction with cyanuric chloride (via the OH.sup.31 groups), reaction with formaldehyde (via the CH.sub.2 groups), reaction with furfural (via the .alpha.-position to the OH.sup.- groups), and reaction with epichlorohydrin (via the OH.sup.- groups). However, the above reactions/processes include various processing problems, such as cost, low pH, long reaction times, harsh conditions (e.g. temperature), health hazards, etc.
What has been missing is an inexpensive product and a simple, inexpensive, and fast process to improve the strength of treated lignocellulosic materials under humid conditions by reacting the water-soluble strengthening agents so as to substantially reduce or eliminate the bleeding of the water-soluble strengthening agents from the material when touched with wet hands or contacted under humid conditions.